Translation of the Chofetz Chaim's Sefer Shmiras HaLashon. This site is dedicated to the improvement of the speech of members of Bnei Yisrael. To help avoid all sorts of troubles, learn Shmiras HaLashon - "One who guards his mouth and his tongue guards from troubles of his soul." (Mishlei: 21; 23)

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Shmiras HaLashon י"ד טבת - Teves 14 - One-Hundred-and-Fourth Day

We shall explain [that which we have written with respect to the importance of adopting the attribute of silence, as follows]: For even if one were to [only] be partially forgiven for [a given] sin, and [acting patiently will] only [lead to a] lightening of his punishment, it is also similarly fitting for him [to adopt this attribute of patience], as mentioned earlier. How much more so [is it fitting for one to adopt this attribute of patience] if he will thereby be completely forgiven for one sin [that he had performed]. All the more so [should one adopt the attribute of patience] as it is known to us that because of this [attribute, the person] is forgiven for all of the sins that he possesses, even [including] those which are referred to as “Pesha” – “rebellious sin”, only that [the person should] be careful from now on to not perform those [sins], as our Sages of Blessed Memory have said [in maseches Rosh HaShanah (17a), as follows]: “All of those who overcome their [negative] attributes, [accordingly, in Heaven] they pass over all of his rebellious sins, as it says [in sefer ““Michah””], “…He pardons for the intentional sin and passes over the rebellious sin…”[1] (Michah: 7; 18) For whom does [HaShem] pardon [their] intentional sin? [HaShem pardons the sin of] one who passes over [their] rebellious sin.”

However, one who desires that The Holy One, Blessed is He, will pardon him even for his rebellious sins, will also be careful to not be exacting at all, even if he knows for certain that his fellow acted against him [in a] rebellious and treacherous [manner], this being referred to as “pesha” – “rebellious sin”, as [our Sages] have said [in maseches Yoma (36b), as follows]: “[The] pisha'im – these are the rebellious sins.”[2] [Regarding] this teaching [quoted above from maseches Rosh HaShanah, our Sages] were precise [with the order of their wording, as follows]: “For who does He forgive for intentional sins? For one who passes over rebellious sins [of others]”, (for in truth, The Holy One, Blessed is He, pardons [the person] even for his rebellious sins [in such a case], as it says, “They, [in Heaven], pass over all of his rebellious sins”. The pasuk [from sefer “Michah”, first states, “forgives for sin”, because of the order of the attributes of The Holy One, Blessed is He, [as stated in the Torah], for [the Torah also] mentions that [HaShem] forgives for intentional [sins] and also [mentions that He] passes over rebellious [sins], as it is written in The Torah, “…He forgives for intentional sin and rebellious sin…”. (Shmos: 34; 7))

[1] The pasuk states as follows:

“Who is G-d like You, Who pardons for sin and passes over the intentional sin for the remnant of His inheritance, He doesn’t grasp onto His anger forever, for He desires kindness.” (Michah: 7; 18)

Mitzudas David comments on the above pasuk as follows:

“Who is G-d like you” – The prophet returns to HaShem for the designation of good and he says, “Who is G-d like You, Who pardons for sin…” Meaning, based on “the letter of the law”, we are not fitting to receive all of that good for we are full of sin. However, who is G-d like You who pardons for the [performance] of the sin.

“and He pass over the willful sin” – Meaning, He doesn’t stand over the willful sin in order to oversee it to dispose of the punishment, rather, He passes over the intentional sin and goes beyond it as if he doesn’t see it.

“for the remnant of His inheritance” – For those who remain from the birthpangs of the [Coming of The] Mashiach.

“He does not grasp [onto His anger forever]” – Even when He get angry, He does not hold onto His anger forever, for He desires kindness, and, therefore, does not desire the anger.

[2] The gemara explains that “chata’os” refer to those sins performed unintentionally, out a state of negligence, and “avonos” refer to those sins that are performed intentionally, whereas “pisha’eem” refer to those sins which are performed rebelliously. The gemara then quotes from the beginning of the confession of the Kohein Gadol on Yom Kippur “chatasi, avisi, pashati, lifanecha, ani u’veisi…” – “I have sinned unintentionally, sinned intentionally, [and] sinned rebelliously before You, I and my household…”